The NEP 29 Python version support policy breaks projects

[return42]

Describe the bug

The Python version support policy NEP 29 (superseded by SPEC 0 ) and introduced in Sphinx by PR

• Simplify development policy #10921

breaks with python projects following the "Python Release Cycle" ... for no reasons / at least it is not clear why the motivation of scientific applications should apply to all projects using Sphinx-doc.

How to Reproduce

Build your python project on a python 3.8 (build host) / by example build process in a non scientific application:

• Bump sphinx from 7.1.2 to 7.2.2 searxng/searxng#2658

Environment Information

Python 3.8 / EOL 2024-10

Sphinx extensions

No response

Additional context

No response

[AA-Turner]

I don't consider this a valid bug; documentation is a development activity and thus can be on a more restricted set of Python versions than your library might support. To use the status of Python versions argument, we would be justified in only supporting active bugfix releases of Python, which would be 3.11.

Note also our policy is inspired by NEP 29, and we do not consider ourselves bound by it, or any superseeding standards.

A

[return42]

I don't consider this a valid bug;

Correct, this is not a bug, it is a change request.

Note also our policy is inspired by NEP 29, and we do not consider ourselves bound by it, or any superseeding standards.

Correct, but what is the motivation behind? / Why not supporting Python versions until EOL .. like most of the packages in the Python eco system do / and most LTS do.

Are there any known issues with Sphinx 7.x python 3.8?

[AA-Turner]

what is the motivation behind?

Making maintenance easier. It means we can use newer features (e.g. subscriptable generics, str.removeprefix), and there is one less version of Python to test.

A